Micropterix trifasciella Heath, 1965

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TaxOn (Taxonomy Online) ISSN: 2071-873X
Micropterix trifasciella Heath, 1965
Michael A. Kurz & C. Zeller
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TaxOn (Taxonomy Online) ISSN: 2071-873X
Micropterix trifasciella Heath, 1965
General information:
Micropteryx trifasciella Heath, 1965: 243–245.
Type locality: Italy, Piemonte, Fenestrelle.
Type: Holotype Alpi Cozie, Val Chisone, Fenestrelle, 1300 m, leg. Della Beffa, agosto 1923 (examination of
genitalia Heath No. 368); in coll. MSNM.
Synonyms, misspellings, wrong determinations, etc.:
Micropteryx aureatella sensu Viette 1948: 37, fig. 26 nec Scopoli, 1763: Missidentification.
Habit:
: Piemonte, Val Susa, sopra del
Colletto, 1650 m, 1966.07.01, leg.
Jaeckh, coll. United States National
Museum, Washington
: France, Hautes Alpes, Isoard
Col Perdu, 2400 m, 1988.07.21, leg.
Gibeaux, coll. Tiroler
Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum
: Piemonte, Piamprato, 1600 m,
1969.07.10, leg. Klimesch, coll.
Zoologische Sammlung des
Bayerischen Staates, Munich
: Piemonte, Piamprato, 1600 m,
1969.07, leg. Klimesch, coll.
Zoologische Sammlung des
Bayerischen Staates, Munich
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
: France, Hautes Alpes, Briançon,
Névache, Lac de Cristol,
2001.07.14, leg. Speidel, coll.
Speidel
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
Scheme of wing pattern:
Description of adults: Examined: 16 , 13 . Forewing length: 3.4–4.7 mm; 4.2–4.8 mm. Head black-
brown, vestiture of hair-like scales on the head light to rusty yellow; antennae nearly 4/5 ( ), respectively 1/2
( ) of forewing length, brown, golden shining with a slight purple tinge; thorax golden to bronzy golden, tegulae
coppery bronzy golden to purple violet; forewing brownish golden to blue-violet, at the base with little coppery
to bronzy golden spots, forewing with three whitish golden to deep golden fasciae of variable width, delicately

TaxOn (Taxonomy Online) ISSN: 2071-873X
bordered bronzy golden: A moderately broad and straight fascia at nearly 1/4, narrowing against costa and
slightly oriented distad; a moderately broad and more or less straight fascia at 1/2, sometimes bent distad; a
fascia at 3/4 of variable shape, often more or less triangle-shaped, sometimes only slightly so, sometimes broadly
reaching costa and inner margin; sometimes a small costal spot at 3/5; fringe purple bronzy golden, distally
golden; hindwing bronzy golden, with a strong purple tinge and with bronzy golden fringe, which is purple at the
base; legs and abdomen brown, golden shining.
Remarks. Compared with the original description, the examined specimens show distinctly more slender fasciae
and the shape of the fascia at 3/4 is variable.
Distribution:
To present knowledge, M. trifasciella has been recorded with certainty only from the Italian and French Alps
(Zeller-Lukashort, Kurz & Kurz 2002). Vertically, the species has been found so far in a height between 1500 -
2400 m a.s.l. (Kurz & Kurz 2010).
Biology:
The species inhabits tall herbaceous vegetation around boulders between montane and sub-alpine elevations.
Imagines have been found on the wing in July only (Kurz & Kurz 2010).
Stages in development:
The early stages are unknown.
Anatomy:
, scheme of cuticula
-genitalia, prep.-no. 751, M. Kurz:
Piemonte, province of Cuneo,
Bellino, Santa Anna, Valle
Traversagn, 2100 m, 2001.07.21,
leg. Peter Huemer, coll. Michael
Kurz
-genitalia, prep.-no. 694, M. Kurz:
Piemonte, Gran Paradiso,
Piamprato, 1550 m, 1996.07.07, leg.
Hausenblas/Zeller, coll. Michael
Kurz
-genitalia, prep.-no. 689, M. Kurz:
"ITALIA - Piemonte; Gran
Paradiso; Piamprato; 45° 33,137 N
7° 34,558 E; 14:00 - 15:00 h; 1550
m; 7.7.1996; leg.
Hausenblas/Zeller", coll. Christof
Zeller
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
-genitalia, prep.-no. 813, M. Kurz,
preparation in caustic potassium:
Piemonte, province of Cuneo, Colle
dell´ Agnello, 2150 m, 2001.07.20,
leg. Peter Huemer, coll. Michael
Kurz
-genitalia, prep.-no. 813, M. Kurz:
Piemonte, province of Cuneo, Colle
dell´ Agnello, 2150 m, 2001.07.20,
leg. Peter Huemer, coll. Michael
Kurz
-genitalia, receptaculum seminis in
a higher magnification, prep.-no.
813, M. Kurz: Piemonte, province of
Cuneo, Colle dell´ Agnello, 2150 m,
2001.07.20, leg. Peter Huemer, coll.
Michael Kurz
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view

TaxOn (Taxonomy Online) ISSN: 2071-873X
Genitalia. Uncus short, somewhat stout, with a moderately broad tip; ventrally beyond the uncus and inside
the tegumen short tufts of hair-like setae; between the uncus and the accessory claspers an indistinctly bordered
area of very long, flat setae, which are easily lost during preparation; accessory claspers short, enlarged at the tip;
anterior margin slightly bent outwards, at the ventral margin a small, distinctly separated appendix; accessory
claspers with 19–24 thickened setae on the inner surface: At the tip about 7–10 strongly modified, hatchet-
shaped and spatulate-shaped thickened setae in an upper row, a row of very long, slightly bent spinoid setae
(about 9–12, two or rarely only one of them on the aforementioned posterior appendix) on the anterior margin;
3-5 long, L-shaped thickened setae which extend the upper row; valvae moderately long, strongly constricted
medially, the distal third spatulate or somewhat triangle-shaped, with two or three irregular rows of shorter
spinoid setae and some long setae on the inner surface; on the inner surface two or three short spinoid setae
distally of the middle of the valve and one longer, straight spinoid seta basally.
Genitalia. Tergite IX missing; sternite IX strongly reduced, constricted medially, not diagnostic. Terminal
papillae with a sclerotized band; receptaculum seminis moderately long, very slender, somewhat enlarged in the
second half, with typical striation.
Diagnosis:
M. trifasciella : France, Hautes
Alpes, Isoard Col Perdu, 2400 m,
1988.07.21, leg. Gibeaux, coll.
Tiroler Landesmuseum
Ferdinandeum
M. huemeri PARATYPE: France,
Alpes Maritimes, Marguareis,
western slope, Navela, 2150 m,
1991.07.18, leg. Huemer &
Tarmann, coll. Tiroler
Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum
M. aureatella aureatella :
"ALPENVORLAND; Thalgau/Sbg.
6/3;20.5.1989; 12.40-14.05 h; leg.
M.K", coll. Michael Kurz:
This animal has a typically small
spot at 3/4.
M. aureatella aureatella :
Salzburg, Pinzgau, Unken, Heutal,
location 1, 2000.05.21, leg. Christof
Zeller, coll. Christof Zeller:
This animal can externally not be
separated with certainty from
trifasciella due to its atypically big
spot (like a fascia) at 3/4.
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
M. allionella : France, Alpes
Maritimes, near Nice, La Turbie,
1952.05, leg. Klimesch, coll.
Zoologische Sammlung des
Bayerischen Staates, Munich
M. rothenbachii : Lombardia,
Lago di Como, near Cavargna,
1997.05.03, leg. Hausenblas, Zeller,
Kurz, coll. Michael Kurz
M. hartigi : Basilicata, Lucano,
Viggianello, 1000 m, 2000.06.07,
leg. Zeller, coll. Michael Kurz
M. trifasciella -genitalia, prep.-no.
751, M. Kurz: Piemonte, Cuneo,
Bellino, Santa Anna, Valle
Traversagn, 2100 m, 2001.07.21,
leg. Peter Huemer, coll. Michael
Kurz
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view

TaxOn (Taxonomy Online) ISSN: 2071-873X
M. huemeri -genitalia, MIC 2,
TLMF, HOLOTYPE:
"FRANKREICH; Dept. Alpes
Maritimes; Marguareis W-Hang;
Navela, 2100-2200 m, 18.7.1991;
leg. Huemer & Tarmann", coll.
Tiroler Landesmuseum
Ferdinandeum
M. aureatella aureatella, -
genitalia, prep.-no. 202, Ch. Zeller:
Austria, Salzburg, Flachgau,
Eugendorf, Unzing, Wörlemoos,
2003.05.17, leg. Hausenblas &
Zeller, coll. Christof Zeller
M. allionella -genitalia, prep.-no.
750, M. Kurz: Liguria, Savona,
Noli, 1951.04.26, leg. Josef
Klimesch, coll. Michael Kurz
M. rothenbachii, -genitalia, prep-
no. 756, M. Kurz: Marche, Ascoli
Piceno, Monti Sibillini, Forca
Canapine, 1500 m, 1993.05.19, coll.
Michael Kurz
Picture from: Christof Zeller
Detailed view
Picture from: Christof Zeller
Detailed view
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
M. hartigi, -genitalia, prep-no.
676, M. Kurz: Puglia, Promontorio
del Gargano, Foresta Umbra,
1993.05.22, leg. Zeller/Kurz, coll.
Michael Kurz
M. trifasciella -genitalia, prep.-no.
813, M. Kurz: Piemonte, province of
Cuneo, Colle dell´ Agnello, 2150 m,
2001.07.20, leg. Peter Huemer, coll.
Michael Kurz
M. aureatella aureatella, -
genitalia, prep.-no. 808, M. Kurz:
Austria, Vorarlberg, Brandnertal,
Böser Tritt, 1700 m, 2004.07.30,
leg. Puchmayr & Kurz, coll.
Michael Kurz
M. allionella -genitalia, prep.-no.
812, M. Kurz: Emilia Romagna,
northern Apennines, Sestola,
1992.05.29, leg. Hausenblas, Zeller,
Kurz, coll. Michael Kurz
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
M. rothenbachii -genitalia, prep.-
no. 888 M. Kurz: Veneto, Verona,
15 km north of Verona, Velo
Veronese, 1000 m, 1999.06.19, leg.
J. Wimmer, coll. Michael Kurz
M. hartigi -genitalia, prep.-no.
887, M. Kurz: Basilicata, Lucano,
Viggianello, 1000 m, 2000.06.07,
leg. Christof Zeller, coll. Michael
Kurz
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
Picture from: Michael Kurz
Detailed view
Due to the lack of the small costal spot at 2/3 the species can easily be confused with Micropterix huemeri Kurz,
Kurz & Zeller, 2004 (separable with certainty only by examination of the genitalia), and also with Micropterix
aureatella (Scopoli, 1763) (see Viette 1948). M. aureatella can be distinguished by its mostly distinctly smaller
spot or fascia at 3/4 and by its more slender fasciae at 1/4 and 1/2. M. trifasciella differs externally from
Micropterix allionella (Fabricius, 1794) mostly by lack of the costal spot at 3/5. But this character is sometimes
missing too in M. allionella, whereas it may seldom be present in M. trifasciella. Therefore both species can only
be separated with certainty by genitalic examination. So far, both species have not been found together
syntopically. There are no differences in the female genitalia between M. trifasciella and M. allionella.
Phylogeny: M. trifasciella belongs to a group of morphologically closely allied species which show the
following common characters: The accessory claspers, seen laterally, bear two rows of thickened setae. In the
ventral row, the distal thickened setae are strongly modified (Y- or T-shaped), and the one or two proximal most
ones are distinctly separated from the rest of the row. These characters are shared by M. trifasciella, Micropterix
rothenbachii Frey, 1856, Micropterix allionella (Fabricius, 1794) and Micropterix huemeri Kurz, Kurz & Zeller,
2004 and, to some extent also by Micropterix hartigi Heath, 1981.

TaxOn (Taxonomy Online) ISSN: 2071-873X
Sources:
Heath, J. 1965a. A new species of Micropterix (Lepidoptera Zeugloptera: Micropterigidae). – Estratto dagli Atti
della Societa Italiana di Scienze Naturali e del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Milano 104 (II): 243–245.
Kurz, M. A. & M. E. Kurz 2000–2010. Naturkundliches Informationssystem. – URL: http://www.nkis.info
[online 02 December 2010].
Viette, P. 1948. Lépidoptères homoneures. – Faune de France, Paris 49.
Zeller-Lukashort, H. C., M. E. Kurz & M. A. Kurz 2002. Neue Funddaten von Arten der Gattung Micropterix
Hübner, [1825] (Lepidoptera: Micropterigidae). – Zeitschrift der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Österreichischer
Entomologen 54: 35–38.
Publication data:
history:
Kurz Michael: 2006.04.18
Zeller Christof: 2006.11.20
Kurz Michael: 2008.11.14
Kurz Michael: 2010.12.02
Kurz Michael: 2010.12.03
Kurz Michael: 2011.02.07
Kurz Michael: 2011.11.17
Document reviewed by:
not reviewed: 2011.11.17
Document released by:
Kurz Michael: 2011.11.17